Dragon Age: Parables
by Prism Elf
Summary: Parables: moral or religious story-a short simple story intended to illustrate a moral or religious lesson. The Inquisition was made up of heroes and villains, knights and thieves, mages and templars, farmers and soldiers. This was the Inquisition and not everyone's stories can be told.
1. Of Arrows and Dead Gods

**Dragon Age: Parables**  
Written by Prism Elf

Parables: moral or religious story-a short simple story intended to illustrate a moral or religious lesson.

**Of Arrows and Dead Gods**

She drew her bowstring back and fired.

_Thang! Thud!_

The arrow sunk deep into the wooden dummy's head.

"Tee, not bad, elfy, but watch this." Sera pulled back her weapon and followed suit only the arrow spilt the practice dummy's head in half. "See now that's how it's done."

Adessa Lavellan snorted and stooped to retrieve another arrow. "That was a practice shot only, Sera."

"Could've fooled me." She shrugged fitting another arrow to her bowstring.

"I've been shooting bows since I was five years old." Adessa stated drawing the bow back toward her cheek.

"Well, goodie for you, some of us didn't have that luxury of learning whatever they wanted. Some us learned to survive. You know," Sera released her shot the arrow thunking into the practice dummy's crotch.

Adessa grinned. The shot was good, but not nearly good enough for Sera's normal shooting. She had found her weakness. Adessa pulled back and just as she released her bow jerked downward, her arrow embedding itself into the target's support pole.

"Ahaha, I win. I win!" Sera exclaimed dancing in a little circle her arms above her head.

"That was a dirty trick." Adessa said moving to remove the arrows from the dummies.

"No dirtier than what you were trying to do. Trying to get in my head and all that. Don't think I didn't notice." Sera shook her head. "Enough bad sorts out there try that, don't need supposed friends fuckin' it up."

Adessa raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you let that kind of thing bother you."

"What that you are all elfy like and what not? No, that's not it. It's the high mighty stuff that's real annoyin'. Don't care much for that I don't.

"I got that." Adessa smiled. "But you should be aware that enemies might figure that out as well. Your enemies could figure it out."

"You mean, they want to be messing around in my head, creepin up in there like little bugs rootin around. Whispering oddities in my ears. No, thank you. I expect from it them, but from you it's all nicey, nicey shit and then BLAM. Hit where it hurts." Sera knelt pulling her arrow from the crotch of the dummy.

"I get it, but it is something to think about."

"Nope, don't need to think, just need to smack your bow. You lose. Game over." Sera laughed as she pulled the arrow free. "Now the dummy's got a pee hole. Oh, that's good, I think I might be able to use that."

Sera started away rambling about winning and losing games and pee holes. Adessa smiled. This was only a part of her Skyhold. She looked up into the scaffolding and ramparts currently being rebuilt. She was amazed at the sheer scope of it. And it was the Inquisition's. Better yet it was hers. She had never dreamed about it before. She had always seen herself in the forest—hunting and scavenging what she could for the winter. Those days seemed like a distance past of someone else's life.

A figure stood at one of the balconies peering down into the courtyard where her and Sera had been playing their game, she squinted trying to tell who it was.

Sharply pointed ears, a bald head, and a hand placed ponderously to his full mouth—Solas. She smiled and waved up at him. Even from her position on the ground she could see him blinked in surprise and he gave a half-hearted wave back before turning and heading back into the Keep proper.

_How long has he been watching me?_ She wondered. A smile curled the edge of her lips at the thought of him watching her. Why did she find herself attracted to the strange man? He was wise and sweet on his good days, but she had seen that dark brooding side too. There was an anger and sadness in him that she just couldn't get. She had never felt drawn to another person so much.

In Haven, she had sought him out because he was another elf in a sea of humans. Her clan had associated with humans and was on friendly terms, but that didn't mean she was completely comfortable around them. She had seen the way the humans looked at her when she had first appeared in Haven. She had heard the rumors even now.

She had simply sought him out because he was an elf. She had wanted that familiarity. But Solas had surpassed her imaginings. He didn't care for the Dalish way of thinking, not their way of life just their mindset. He had opened his eyes to the possibility of the Dalish having gotten it wrong had never crossed her mind. She was learning to judge people based on their actions, not by their race.

Humans had named her Inquisitor. They believed her to be the Herald of Andraste. She snorted as she placed her bow and quiver back on the training weapons rack. She wasn't the human prophet's herald. She didn't know what was going on, but she wasn't who everyone believed she was. She was just a simple Dalish girl, who happened to be in the right place at the wrong time. She hadn't asked to be hero. She hadn't asked to be here. Yet, here she was.

After Haven she could have left, she could have walked away back to her clan, but she hadn't. Corypheus had to be stopped. She was the only who could stop him. She wasn't being arrogant, just truthful. She wouldn't be Inquisitor otherwise.

"_It has been a long time since humans have raised one of our people to such a place of power." _Solas' voice echoed in her thoughts. Could she lead these people? She wasn't certain. But she knew one thing was certain she defiantly wasn't the chosen of some dead prophet to a silence human god.

* * *

_Hello all! Well I'm back for a little while. I've been sitting on writing this fanfiction for Dragon Age story since I've finished Dragon Age: Inquisition. This story will follow Adessa Lavellan and be little slips of moments not in the game, but take place between scenes or behind the scenes much in the same manner as my Mass Effect 3 fanfiction. Thanks for reading and I will try to update regularly. Rated 'M' for language, violence and sexual content later on. _


	2. Pulled from Dreams

**Pulled from Dreams**

Solas stared at the sketches before him. He hadn't completed any of them, yet. Charcoal was smeared on his fingertips. He wanted to get this last drawing just right. His brow furrowed. The last part where he wanted to show the destruction of Haven and pay tribute to the Inquisition being born didn't seem right. Mostly he wasn't certain how to capture the moment.

He sighed and smudged a line with his forefinger- blurring it. He wanted to get it just right. _Why?_ He blinked staring down on the picture once more. It was his mistake that had almost killed her. Corypheus was his mistake. The destruction of Haven was his fault. Innocent people were dead because of him—people who had been trying to help who were only looking for answers and wanting to find hope.

He could understand that desire to find hope and peace in chaos. He had never forgotten a soul lost to his cause. Their faces haunted him still, now more were added to the pyres of his memories. He was alone in that regard. Walking the fade his dreams were of ancient pasts and forgotten places, like Skyhold. The magic in the keep ran deep into the foundation. He had slept beneath its ruined offerings before. It had been silent as he wandered the memories of those long past. Mostly memories of a time that he wished…

_No._ He shook his head. He couldn't dwell on that. He needed to focus on the here and now.

His first night here with the Inquisition he had dreamed of the People, the building and construction of such a wondrous place which was not an uncommon scene. What was different that night? He had heard it soft, distance, alluring, yet present. The song.

He couldn't remember when he had last heard it. It had been a very long time.

The song was dim in this place like it was being played too close to a gushing waterfall; he could just make out the melody. A melody that upon waking had disappeared with the dream, his sorrow renewed at losing it once again. From that night on he walked in the ancient memories exploring the deepest parts of Skyhold, hearing the song of long ago. And upon waking each morning he regretted not being able to sleep longer.

He sighed looking down at his sketches again. He needed something to anchor his waking mind. It was too tempting to slip back into the Fade during his waking hours. This had seemed like a good idea in the beginning. Skyhold deserved to be look like it had in its glory days, and the Inquisitor was the best possible person for doing just that.

_Lavellan. Adessa._ Her name echoed in his thoughts. She was an anomaly. He hadn't quite figured her out. She was either incredibly skilled, fated or lucky to have survived everything she had. Maybe it was a little of each. She had survived the anchor, the explosion at the Conclave, Corypheus, the destruction of Haven and the harsh mountain cold. No one else could have pulled off what she had done.

"Keeping staring like that and you'll go blind." _Speak of the demon and they shall appear._ He smiled as he looked up. Adessa Lavellan stood leaning against the doorway to his study with arms crossed over her chest. She looked comfortable and relaxed. Even after everything she had endured she managed to pull off nonchalance. He couldn't tell half the time if she cared or thought this was all some big joke.

He gave her a half smile and looked back down at his work. His fingers were covered in dark gray charcoal dust.

"What are you working on?" She asked pushing away from the door frame.

"I am working on some rough sketches for the paintings I wish to place upon of this room's walls." He kept his eyes downcast on his artwork. He didn't want to look directly at her. Cole had mentioned it before, she burned brightly and he could see it if he looked at her at certain way. There! He could just make out the glow of her spirit. It surrounded her in a blinding white light.

"Oh, let's see them." She moved next to him and he moved aside to see his work. "Uh, these are different."

The way she spoke held a note of curiosity mixed with concern. He chuckled surprising himself. "You could just say they are bad, lethallan," He moved to pull them from her prying eyes.

"No, wait, which one was your choice?"

"I have not finished with them yet,"

"Really? Because they look finished," She smiled and tapped a finger to the most simplistic drawing of the bunch. "I like this one,"

"Curious, why that one?"

Her smile didn't falter as she picked up the image. "You have written this one off. It's not as good as the other two. I like it. It's simple and I think it will look better enlarged on the wall and in color. Just because it's not as good doesn't mean it can't be great given the chance."

Solas blinked as she handed him the drawing. "I think with the right colors it would be beautiful." She winked, "I can't wait to see it."

He watched her leave with a sly coy smile playing on her lips before looked down to the sketch in his hands. His hands were shaking ever so slightly. She was right, of course, with the right colors the simpler design would love better. He had merely wanted to capture a moment in the history of the Inquisition with these paintings, but now he knew. It wouldn't be just one moment, but all of them. The mural would reflect Adessa's decisions; she was the heart of the Inquisition. She was the reason there was still an Inquisition. He had led her here to Skyhold because he knew the others would follow. Skyhold accepted her as its caregiver; it was why he could hear the song when he slept here now.

It was all because of _her._ Skyhold was responding to her presence. It was being awakened because of _her_.

* * *

_Another update. I'm going to shoot for every other day for a while just to be writing again. I don't mind if people want to leave a comment with ideas. Simple phrases or props it just helps get the brain thinking and gives me something to work like a challenge. :) Thanks for reading!_

_PE_


	3. For Wish of a Pep Talk

**Wish for A Pep Talk**

Adessa Lavellan stood surveying the old room, her breath catch in her throat. "I can believe this place has remained intact for so long." Her words were whispered as she brushed a hand across the spines of several dust covered books.

She looked over her shoulder at Solas. He had insisted they come down into catacombs. Over the past few weeks everyone had been exploring Skyhold trying to discern the keep's long lost secrets. This was one of many. The passage that led down to this huge library had just been opened two days ago. She and Solas were the first ones down here. While Leliana and Cullen opposed the idea of her spending time exploring the keep, she didn't mind the uncovering the mysteries. In fact she was excited to explore, she wasn't good with reports or sitting in meetings. She liked to be doing something. Anything was better than reports and meetings. Even the forgotten dusty cobweb filled crawl spaces of Skyhold were infinitely more preferable.

"There is magic soaked into the foundation of this place. While the world forgot about these halls and courtyards, the magic didn't it kept this place from completely crumbling apart until there was nothing left." Solas explained swiping a hand over a page of the large tome laid open on the desk.

"It's still impressive. Even more so when you time about it regards to magic being sentient." She shuddered. "A little creepy too." Her fingers traced the gold filigree of a book, whose title was written in a language she didn't know. Solas glanced up at her.

"What is disturbing about magic having a consciousness? It would simply be another form of life, much like spirits or demons. There are many possibilities in life some we know and understand and some we do not." He locked eyes with her. His silvery eyes were bright in the firelight of the brazier Adessa had lit earlier, but the harsh light casted shadows across his face. Or maybe it was the expression he wore. His eyes narrowed and she had the sensation he was feeling her out. For what reason or purpose she couldn't begin to fathom.

"I didn't mean that _magic_ was creepy. I meant the idea of being surrounded by something that is invisible and has a mind of its own. It's like being watched everywhere you go, being stalked if you will. I don't like the idea." She stated coolly. "You know perfectly well , I have no problem with magic."

"You have shown that you are more comfortable around it than most."

She snorted and turned to face him. "My Keeper is a mage. I've been raised around magic being used for practical and useful reasons much like a tool or a weapon. As long as one figures out that the pointy of sword goes into the other person and you hit the nail with the flat end of the hammer magic's as good self-taught or trained depending on the person. I don't need to fear it. It would be silly. Like being afraid of a sword or hammer."

"You don't believe the Circles are necessary?"

She raised an eyebrow, "You're self-taught, right?" When he looked up at her and nodded slightly she continued. "Well there's your answer…some of the world's greatest sword masters are naturally talented and some are trained why should it be different for a mage? How does one distinguish between natural talent and those that need to work hard? The Circle should be schools for those that need to be trained or that want to be trained. If you're asking would the world be better without the Circles? I don't know. But I know what they should be, and it's not what they have become." She moved over to Solas keeping the desk between them and her eyes locked on his. "Why all this talk of magic and Circles?"

Solas blinked as if surprised she had even bothered to ask. "I simply wanted to make conversation and I was curious about your outlook involving the mages and Templars."

Adessa's laughter surprised them both. She smiled after her bout of giggles passed. "Sorry, but I chose the Templars because they are warriors and we are at war. Mages would have been nice, but," she paused, frowning, "I wish I could have taken both sides and slapped them around for a bit. They both needed to wake up and face reality their fighting didn't fix anything. All it did was get people killed." There was bitterness in her voice she knew she couldn't hide.

"You are thinking about the Envy demon." Solas said. Adessa shuddered and turned her back to him leaning against the ancient oak desk.

"I didn't like it rooting around in my head, trying to take control of my body." She gritted her teeth. She hadn't spoken of this to anybody. She wanted to forget the feeling of that creature's voice soothing and coaxing her into giving in. It would have been so easy and it had made it more than tempting, but she had known. Always in the back of her mind, she had known the truth…she had almost given in to her weakness. She never asked for any of this. Humans believed her to be the prophet of their beloved Andraste, she _knew_ it wasn't that simple of an answer. The world was rarely that unpretentious.

She sighed. "I have never something so wrong before. I hated it. I hated the fear it instilled and the doubt as well. What if I do turn out to be that ruthless and bloodthirsty? What if I like the power the Inquisition gives me? What if I become blind to the people's problem s? Who will stop me? Who will put me down if it became necessary?"

"Forgive me, lethellan, I did not mean to dreg up such memories. "

She shook her head. "I haven't told anyone else this for fear of the looks I would receive."

"What looks would those be?"

She turned and leaned over the desk bring her face closer to his. "I would have to see pity, fear and possible regret flood their eyes. I would be letting all of them down if they knew I wasn't strong enough to handle one little demon clawing at my mind."

Solas didn't move away, but he didn't move closer either. His face was an unreadable mask. "It is natural to have doubts and fears especially for one in your position, Inquisitor."

"Of course, completely natural." She leaned back a sliver of disappointment flickered in her chest. Why was she disappointed? Maybe she had been hoping for friendlier pep talk or advice. The hurt must have shown on her face.

"Lethellan, it is natural. You have been forced to face your fears in a very literally sense. It is unnerving even to those whose grace and wit is far above most." The hint of a smile tugged at his lips.

"Above most others?"

"As I have stated before it is merely an observation." His voice was calm and causal much like he was actually making an observation, but it was the quick gleam in his eye that let her know it was more than just simple curiosity.

"Is it now?" She couldn't keep the coyness from her voice.

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_Thank you for the favorites and follows. Weekends are crazy. I don't know if I will update as much on weekends, but during the week I plan on updating more. Thanks again and enjoy!_

_TG_


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